Related Articles
April is set to be a pricey month for Brits as multiple things go up in price, including stamps from Royal Mail. The price increase takes effect from April 7. It comes as British households gear up to pay more for broadband, water, council tax and the TV licence. The cost of a standard first-class stamp is rising by 10p to £1.80. This is one of the many price increases in recent years, with the cost of these stamps going up by 5p in April last year to the current £1.70.
Before that, the price of these stamps increased by 22% in October 2024, from £1.35 to £1.65. “We always consider price changes very carefully, balancing affordability with the rising cost of delivering mail,” said Richard Travers, managing director of letters at Royal Mail. “On average, UK adults now spend just £6.50 each year on stamps and there are 70% fewer letters sent than 20 years ago. In the meantime, the number of addresses we deliver to has increased by four million to 32 million addresses across the UK.”
Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis has urged Brits who regularly use first-class stamps to stock up before the price increase takes effect. He said: “For years, every time stamps go up in price I’ve suggested people stock up and bulk-buy in advance, as provided the stamp doesn’t have a price on it and instead just says the postage class, it’s still valid after the rise.
“This has been an effective tactic, as a first-class letter stamp is now £1.70, soon rising to £1.80 – in 2012 it was just 60p. So you may as well stock up now if you’re going to need stamps.”
Additionally, the price of large first-class stamps is going up from £3.15 to £3.10, while the second-class standard price goes up from 87p to 91p.
However, customers should be careful not to buy fakes if they are stocking up. “Buy from reputable high street outlets and, where possible, hang on to your receipt,” the Money Saving Expert Stamps website warns.
Royal Mail is set to face MPs over complaints about its delivery service. The chair of the Business and Trade Committee, Liam Byrne, revealed he was “very concerned” over reports of “significant failures”.
A first-class stamp cost just 64p 10 years ago, while a second-class stamp was 55p. Royal Mail was fined £21m by the regulator Ofcom last year after it was revealed that close to a quarter of first-class post arrived late.
Anne Pardoe, head of policy at Citizens Advice, commented: “Higher prices must come with higher standards – increases should be tied to Royal Mail’s performance on the doorstep.”
Source link
